Indicator for lubricating systems.



. MORRIS.

INDICATOR FOR LUBRICATING SYSTEMS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 4| 1914.

Patented Oct. 10,1916.

GEORGE W. MORRIS, O'I" RACINE, WISCONSIN.

INDICATOR FOR LUBRCATING SYSTEMS.

aecomo.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 4, 1914. Serial No. 860,151.

To all 'whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE W. MORRIS, a subject lof the King of Great Britain, and resident of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of Wisconsin, have invented new vide means for indicating the failure ofy pressure in a lubricating system, such as the engine lubricating system of` an automobile or the like, and consistsof a plunger having a tendency to intercept the oil passageway leading from the oil pump but yielding to the pressure of the oil under the normal operation of the pumpt so as to clear the oil passageway and exterior means movable with the plunger to indicate by its 4position the presence or absence of pressure in the lubricating system. v

Another object ofthe invention is to provide such an indicator by which it may be determined in the dark as well as in the light whether the operating pressure is maintained in the lubricating system of an automobile engine, so that the need of lubricant when the lubricant supply is exhausted or the failure of the lubricant pump to/perform its work properly will manifest itself and correction of the error may be made before serious trouble occurs from the continued running of the engine without lubricant.

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the indicatorfor lubricating systems as herein clalmed and allt equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawing in which like .characters of reference indicate the same parts in different views: Figure 1 is a verticalsectional view of an indicator for lubricating systems exemplifying this invention, the parts being shown in the position indicating lack of pressure in the lubricating system. Fig. 2 is a similar view thereof with parts in the position assumed by them under the normal pressure of the lubricating system. Fig 3 is a plan view thereof.

shown, with a face plate 11 at an angle theretocorresponding with the inclination of the dash board of the automobile or other part to which the indicator is to be atratentea oet. io, i916. l

tached. and 12 is Ia pump connection at the lowerend of the casing adapted to be connected with a pipe leading from the lubricant pump, not shown, while 13 is a lubricant supply4 pipe connection leading from the casing and adapted for connection with a pipe for conveying the lubricant tol the parts of the engine to be lubricated. A cy- -.lindrical plunger 14 with a closed lower end vclosely fits within the bore of the casing 10 and is preferably provided with a series of annular grooves 15 forming what is known as water-packing to prevent the lubricant passing4 upwardly between the plunger and the wall of the casing. rlhe plunger in its lowermo'st position, as shown in Fig.r 1, is seated on a shoulder 16 between the passageway of the pump connection 12 and the passageway of the lubricant supply pipe connection 13.A In this position the plunger interrupts communication between these two passageways and is subject. to the pressure of the lubricant pump so that when the pump is started in its operation by the starting of the engine the plunger is lifted to the position shown in Fig. 2, where it un'- covers the passageway of pipe connection 13 and establishes communication between the two passageways.

.A cap 17 is threaded on the upper end of the casing 10 with a gasket 18 therebetween and a tubular 'guide 19 projecting downward from the center of the cap into the upper end of the bore of the plunger has a stem 20 slidably fitting therein and For convenand is of such height that in the lower position of the knob said knob lies beneath the upper edge of the sleeve while in the upper position of the knob it stands above the upper edge ofthe sleeve, thus permitting the position of the knob to .be determined by feeling with the hand at night as well as by being seen in the day time. In order to further prevent leakage 'of pressure through the indicator `the lower end of the guide 19 is preferably beveled to form a valve seat and a valve is formed on the stem to engage therewith in the upper position of the plunger, such valve preferably consisting of a disk or washer 23 of leather or other suitable material supported by a flange 24 iixedon or formed with the stem 20. Thus, in the upper position of the plunger the valve 23 is held seated with pressure against the valve seat on the lower end of guide 19 A preventingl the escape of pressure around the stem and checking any tendency for the lubricant' to be forced around the plunger and out through the guide opening for the stem.

By means of this invention a failure of the proper operation ofthe lubricating system, either through-the faulty operation of the pump or by the exhaust of the supply of)lubricant will be indicated bythe dropping of the knob 21 which may be seen or felt, for under no'rmal conditionsthe knob will remain in its upper position as shown in Fig. 2 whenever the engine is running and will return to its lower position as soon as the pressure on the lubricating system ceases.

During the operation of the pump the knob 21 remains in its upper position, as it does not have suflicienttime to fall between the pulsations of the pump, and though it` may move slightly with each pulsation of the pump owing to the reduction of pressure against the plunger 14 between thepump impulses it retains its projected position until the pressure in the passageway of the lubrieating system ceases, either from the stop'- forming 4 part of the lubricating system through which the lubricant is normally forced under pressure, a lunger communieating with theinterior'o the lubricant conductor and subjected to the pressure of the lubricant liowing therethrough, and a visible -stem on the plunger indicating the position thereof, said plunger and stemrbeing adapted to fall in the absence of pressure in the conductor to a position in whlch the plunger intercepts the passageway through the conductor. l

2. An indicator for showing the existence .of a normal flow of lubricant through the lubricating system of an automobile gas engine or the like, comprising a lubricant conductor forming part of the lubricating system with the lubricant normally flowing therethrough under pressure, a cylindrical casing communicating with the lubricant conductor, a plunger fitting inthe casing and subjected to' the,pressure of the lubricant flowing through the lubricant conductor, a Stem on the plunger ypassing through an opening in the casing, a tubular guide in the casing for the stem, and a valve on the stem adapted to be seated on the end of the tubular guide for preventing loss of pressure therethrough when the plunger is in the position to which it is moved by the normal pressure within the lubricant conductor.

3. An indicator for lubricating systems, comprising -a cylindrical casing, a plunger fitting therein, a pump connection having a passageway leading to the end of the casing, a-lubricant supply pipe connection having a passageway leading to the side of the casing and closed against communication with the passageway of the pump connection by the plunger in one position thereof, saidplun-` ger being capable of movement from such position under the infiuence of the pressure of the lubricant admitted through the pump connection to establish communication between the said passageways, a stem passing through an opening in the casing and engaging the plunger to indicate the movements thereof, and ,a valve on the Stem for sealing said openingin the` casing against the loss of pressure therethrough..

4. An indicator for showing the existence of a normal flow of lubricant in the lubricating system of an automobile gas engine or the like, comprising a lubricant conductor forming a part of the lubricating system and having the lubricant normally flow therethrough under pressure, a cylindrical casing communicating with the lubricant conductor, a plunger fitting within the cylindrical casing and subjected to the pressure of the lubricant iowing through the lubricant conductor, a stem passing through an opening in the casing and moved by the plunger to indicate the position of the plunger, and a valve on the stem for sealing the opening of the casing, said plunger and stem being adapted to return to their original positions upon a reduction in pressure of the lubricant iowingr through the lubricant conductor, the plunger -moving to a` position for intercepting the passageway through the lubricant conductor.

-5. n indicator for showin the existence of a normal qw of\lubricant 1n the lubricating system of" anautomobile gas engine or the like, comprising a lubricant conductor forming part of the lubricating system through which the lubricant is normally forced under pressure, a plunger communieating withthe interior of the lubricant conductor and subjected to the pressure ofthe lubricant owing through the lubricant conductor, and a visible stem on the plunger indicating the position thereof, said plunger and stem being adapted to fall in the absence of pressure in the conductor as when the supply of lubricant hasbecome f ex hausted.

6. An indicator for lubricating `systems comprising a cylindrical casing adapted to in the casing with a closed end adapted to be Y seated betweenthe two passageways, there being annular grooves around the Vplunger to prevent the leakage of the lubricant thereby, a cap threaded on the upper end of the casing, a tubular guide projecting from the cap into the hollow plunger, a stem passing through the tubular guide and bearing on the closed end of the plunger, a Valve carried by the stem and adapted to be seatedon the end of the tubular guide for preventing the leakage of pressure therethrough, a knob on the outer end of the stem, and a cup shaped projection on the cap surrounding the knob.

In testimony whereof, I aix my signature, in presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE W. MORRIS. Witnesses:

F. H. Fos'rnn, THOMAS WILLIAMS. 

